Theatrical troupes from around the world came together at Pakistan’s World Culture Festival to present glimpses of their culture and stories from their home countries.
Theatergoers in Karachi enjoyed a double delight on Sunday with two thought-provoking plays from Rwanda and Kosovo.
Rwandan artists presented a play called “Generation 25,” which features lessons from the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.
“What happened in my country can happen elsewhere,” said Hope Azeda, the director of the play.
Artists from Kosovo performed “Waiting for a Train,” which delves into the struggle of chasing after an unfulfilled dream.
Kushtrim Mehmeti, the director, said it is a universal experience that people around the world can understand.
“It’s for the people all around the world who are waiting for something, but they never catch their dreams,” said Kushtrim Mehmeti, the director.
The audience broke into applause at the end of both plays, and was regaled by several dance performances that night.
“The reaction here was just lovely. Everybody is so interested, so loving, so encouraging,” said Queen Joelle, an actress who took part in the festival.
Azeda describes “Generation 25” as “a legacy letter from one generation to the next,” offering a deeply personal and universal message of resilience.
“It’s been a massive success here at Karachi. I was amazed about how a story from Rwanda connected, inspired and uplifted people here in Pakistan. The country has an insane background historically but seeing another country with courage to lead, face the truth and encourage young people to move in a positive direction was just amazing. Generation 25 really planted a seed of peace,”
“This reflects the power of the arts – the power to change misconceptions, particularly about Rwanda’s history.”
Among the Rwandan artistes who performed included Peace Jolis, Serge Gasasira Rugamba, Della Dube, Emmanuel Iyamuremye, Lydia, and others. Each artist had three minutes to perform a song promoting peace and humanity.
Azeda said that, after Pakistan, Generation 25 will shift its stage in France at the Renaissance Theater on October 18 and 19, bringing its message to European audiences.
The monthlong festival hosts 250 artists from 40 countries including South Africa, Azerbaijan, Nepal, Rwanda and Pakistan.
